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How much does battery brand matter for the NC?

jtanner

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While choosing a new battery for my car recently, I watched this very insightful video by Project Farm:


In short, he determined that the cheap Walmart car batteries appear to be the best value and even outperform more expensive batteries in some areas. With this new knowledge, and learning that they come with a 3-year warranty, I chose the Walmart Everstart battery.

Now, my NC is in need of a new battery and I find myself wondering the same thing.
Any thoughts or experience with this?
 
First, I admit that I lost patience and skipped some of this video, but I gathered that the tests done were to determine the relative performance of newly purchased batteries. An important aspect of batteries that I didn’t see mentioned, was how long they will last. I buy car batteries based on price, and whatever their relative performance might be hasn’t mattered since they always perform adequately for me to reliably operate the car. In addition, they all last about 7 years in a car or truck, regardless of the brand. So, for me, a car battery is a car battery.

In the distant past I had horrible experiences with failures and short life on non-OEM motorcycle batteries, so I now stay with the OEM Yuasa brand, or most often their aftermarket brand called Motocross. Motocross is the same Yuasa battery but with a different label and a lower price. I get around 8 years life out of Yuasa/Motocross batteries. There may be other brand motorcycle batteries that will last 8 years, but I have been afraid to try them again based on experiences in the distant past. If anyone has long battery life experiences with aftermarket battery brands, please post.
 
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I consistently use cheap AGM batteries, and routinely get 6-7 years out of them. Partly, it is due to my trickle charger
/ desulphator, a Battery Minder. I use Chromebattery.com for all my batteries, the last one I bought was for my ST1300, which is the same as the NC’s. I think it was 39$ including shipping. I had 5 years on my Helix battery when I sold it, and it was going strong!
 
My sample size of 2 for bikes says it matters a lot. Bought the cheapo "Firepower" from Revzilla for the big sum of $65 USD (& a major headache trying to get the bolts in - made my own spacers to hold the nuts). It lasted a month. Bit the bullet and bought a Shorai incl their charger for $215 or so & it's going like a champ 12 months later. Spacers for nut included. I was basically not going through the headache again for as long as I could prevent it.

As for cars, my sample size of a bunch says it doesn't matter at all. Super warranted batteries to whatever they have at Walmart/Autozone/Advance/etc. They all die in about 5 years. I get mine now from whatever auto parts store is closest when I need one & have them hook it up for me.
 
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I bought a Yuasa YTZ12S battery for 1.5 months.
in my experience european engine batteries are not good, max 2-3 years of life
car battery in a well-functioning car, normal use cheap battery is just as good as expensive
 
Batteries vary in cost to based on CCA, cranking amps. I too average 6-7 years by making sure they don't go dead, using a tender every other month or so.

One important thing I learned was to put a 4 amp charger on the battery when low to "soak the plates". Also put a draw on the battery occasionally. A battery builder gave me that tip. Also, proper charging when new helps with battery life too. Always check electrolyte levels, even sealed battery can go dry if "cooked".

To many people blame battery life on other problems the bike has in the electrical system. I recently over tightened a set of leads ruining the lead terminals, (cheap battery) I learned to look for steel leads over lead when selecting a battery.
 
I have a Cessna 152. It uses a 24 volt battery. I get around 7 years if I don't grind on the starter to much. Also, I use a trickle charger in the winter, watch the electrolyte levels like a hawk. The plates are so close together they can easily warp and short if over heated. Battery is the same size as a 12 volt car battery. Battery costs $475!!!
 
I read years ago most batteries are sourced from a very limited number of manufactures ( perhaps only 1 or 2) and they simply put their names on them.
Letting any battery run down and stay down is the death of even higher priced units.
Modern motor vehicles require a fully charged battery as many components are voltage sensitive. It is at the heart of optimum vehicle operation. My 2 cents.
 
What I learned about batteries is the purity of lead. Military
and aviation batteries use a purer lead content. As opposed to questionable companies that recycle lead with impurities that sulfate quicker and use cheaper separation material with their plates. You can tell how they die. If the voltage drops quickly vs. Getting low 11 or 10 volts all the time. This can be indicative of a bad cell.

I maintain 5 motorcycle batteries. Once a year, I chart voltage on a full charge, turn bike on with lights for 30 sec. Measure drop. Then wait an hour and measure recovery voltage. This will give you a good record of condition. Also, note age of the battery.

For the newbies, battery maintainers are NOT battery chargers. Amps are necessary to adequately soak the plates for a near dead battery.


The saying goes a battery will die in September and keel over in December.

Because of pressurized fuel injection our bikes start quickly, posing less amp draw on the battery. With a good charging system, you can run with a dying battery for a long time. Then in december with oil like honey it's ready for the funeral.
 
There’s lots of battery info on the forums especially which brand is favored, but can someone give me a specific make and model number of a battery that they have installed in a 2012 NC700X so I know it will actually fit in the stock battery compartment? I’ve already ordered and returned one that was supposed to fit according to the website but it was too tall. I’ve seen others with the same dimensions that are advertised to fit this bike, but I know they won’t. I’m more concerned about knowing it will fit than the specific brand.

Thanks for any help!
 
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There’s lots of battery info on the forums especially which brand is favored, but can someone give me a specific make and model number of a battery that they have installed in a 2012 NC700X so I know it will actually fit in the stock battery compartment? I’ve already ordered and returned one that was supposed to fit according to the website but it was too tall. I’ve seen others with the same dimensions that are advertised to fit this bike, but I know they won’t. I’m more concerned about knowing it will fit than the specific brand.

Thanks for any help!
I have a 2012 NC700X. After getting 8 years life from the original battery, I installed a Motocross brand YTZ12S. It fits because it is the same battery as a Yuasa YTZ12S, which is what Honda installed in it at the factory. The battery with the Motocross label is less expensive than the same battery, from the same factory, with a Yuasa label.
 
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I have a 2012 NC700X. After getting 8 years life from the original battery, I installed a Motocross brand YTZ12S. It fits because it is the same battery as a Yuasa YTZ12S, which is what Honda installed in it at the factory. The battery with the Motocross label is less expensive than the same battery, from the same factory, with a Yuasa label.
Thanks! I'll order the same one
 
AS posted above ANY battery that fits will work.
Yep sometimes you might get one that for whatever reason doesn't make it a year.
Its like oil. ANY brand will do, yet everyone has their favorite.
AND just like oil, batteries makers are few, and they just put different labels on them. If its the right label they can jack the price up.
You think that Northface fleece is ANY different than the fleece everyone else has?? But that name on the back shoulder jacks the price up.
 
Problem is branding changes every year, I liked scorpion batteries, now it's motocross. Someone should mention charging before installation. That has a huge effect in some cases on lifespan and output. I'm by no means an expert, I put on a 3 amp charge until the voltage tops out, maybe 1/2 hour, making sure to not overheat the battery before service. Instructions indicate this as well.
 
Problem is branding changes every year, I liked scorpion batteries, now it's motocross. Someone should mention charging before installation. That has a huge effect in some cases on lifespan and output. I'm by no means an expert, I put on a 3 amp charge until the voltage tops out, maybe 1/2 hour, making sure to not overheat the battery before service. Instructions indicate this as well.
That could work, but standard charge rate for the Yuasa or Motocross YTZ12S, as printed on the battery, is 1.1 amps. I prefer to charge slowly.A6EB0B08-8E3F-4773-BA64-F1BFCAF8E103.jpeg
 
What I learned about batteries is the purity of lead. Military
and aviation batteries use a purer lead content. As opposed to questionable companies that recycle lead with impurities that sulfate quicker and use cheaper separation material with their plates

I agree. Steel dumped in the US from china is junk. Even high end items made there is junk. Profit trumps quality. OEM battery dimensions/terminal position are my starting points in aftermarket battery replacement.
 
I try to find a brand that is heavier than the others. They still publish those, not always CCA, cold cranking amps.
 
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